Timing box mechanism for machine tools



June 5, 1945. A. J. FULLER 2,377,337

TIMING BOX MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS I Filed Jan. 20, 1943 a Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1945. A. J. FULLER TIMING BOX MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS 6 SheeIs-Sheet Filed Jan. 20, 1943 June 1945. A. J. FULLER TIMING BOX MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS I Filed Jan. 20, 1943 e Sheeizs-{Sheet 4- wQ U v I 39w M 31 3; om mm IIH lllll Ill ITIHIII! ||i June A. .II. FULLER 2,377,337

TIMING BOX MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Jan. 20, 1943 e Sheets-Sheet s I y I x if 'Q). 77 9" 4 ?4/9 I CAM 1 mm 7. 5'5 GENEVA PLATE 510 54 GENEVA INDEX 1:

56 Tmms WHEEL 54 GENEVA INDEX PiN SAGENEVA INDEX. V

'PIN JlWQ/YVt/O'Y/ June 5, 1945. I A. J. FULLER 2,377,337

TIMING BOX MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Jan. 20, 1943 6 Shgets-Shee'r. 6

r SHIFTING BLOCK 49 .7 kg 9.742

GfiM PATH 55 TIMING WHEEL CLU TCCH ENGAGED DISEN "Patented June 55 1945 Alfred Joseph Fuller, iiawtuchet, R. L, asalgnor to Fetter & .lohnetonlviace Company, Pawtucket, Ruin, a corporation of ode island Appllcationifianuary 20, 1943, Serial No. 4733139 (Cl. 2M4) 6 Claims.

. thereof which synchronize the movements or.

operations of certain instrumentalities of the machine with the movements of other instrumentalities of the machine-such as, for instance, the tool cross-slide with other tool carrying slides and/or with the tools carried on any selected of anlndexible turret, so that the/connection and disconnection of the cooperating rotary grace wiith said parts in the same relative posiscns.

Such timing boxes; as shown in United States natents, 1,880,843 and 1,881,928, have flimctioned very well; but from the standpoint of. enabling quick. change from, that which is called, conventional or standard operation of the machinei. e. for instance, the action of the front crossslide tool-holder and of the rear cross-slide tool holder with consecutive turret faces-47o any variation from this conventional operation, delays have always resulted that have many times retarded production of immediately needed'machine parts. ihis delay is occasioned by the fact that the cam path of timing cam l38 of Patent 1,880,843 and of the timing cam ltl "of Patent 1,881,928, which preserve the desired movements of the cross-slides relative to the turret. slide all operational requirements of the machine-tool.

With the above and other objects in View, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the inventionresides in the sundry details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts specifically described and which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the present invention; a

Figure 1 is' a, fragmentary rear elevation of on type of machine tool with which the invention may be employed;

Figure 2 is a, cross-section of Figure 1, taken substantially on line 2-2 in Figure 1, to illustrate the cross-slide and its, actuating cam;

Figure 3 is a-spread-out longitudinal section through the timing-box;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the timing-box, looking from the left of Figures 1 and 3 toward the headstock of the machine;

Figurefi is a fragmentary view of a portion of the timing-box looking from the left of Figure 4 to illustrate the position of certain parts;

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary end elevations of the timing drum and the shifting block to show the formation of said block and its relationship with said drum and the manner of spacing the stop-pins and studs to actuate said block;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially movements, are milled therein and itfis imposon line as oi Figure 6, with the stud outside sible to forecast or .predetermlne all variations -from standard operation that may be required of the machine. Standard forms oicams for either four, five or six faced turrets are carried in stock by the manufacturer of the-.machines,

and often by the users thereof, but, since many variations from the standard are constantly occurring, a large unpredictable number of these cams are necessary requiring large amounts of material and of labor. Thus, great difficulty and delay is experienced inv obtaining the required cam for a specific operation which cannot m achieved with the conventional operation of the machine, or with the celerity the machine is capable. 4

sion, in a timing box of the above defined type.

of a timing member in lieu of the previously used timing cam and which has selectable means that of the cam-path the block and the stop-pin obstructing shifting movement of the block that will engage the clutch;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing a stud in the cam-path and having shifted the block to engage the clutch;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view .tal; en substantially on line id-ld of Figure 1;

Figures 11' to 15, inclusive, are diagrammatic illustrations showing the operations of the Geneva mechanism and the timing wheel during one of the camming operations to effect engagement and disengagement'of the clutch; and

Figure 16' is a plan view of the cam path-oi 5 the said clutch operation and illustrating the relative positions oi the cam-roll resulting from. consecutive movements of the timing wheel or drum.

As one example of the type of machine tool with which the present invention is related, there is shown in Figures 1 and 2 an automatic turret lathe, having a bed or base it with a headstock headstock is Journaled a horizontal spindle H may be adjusted at will by the operator to meet carrying a work-holding chuck I2 at one end. A

feed shaft I3 is operably connected with the spindle I I in order that the spindle speeds and-tool feeds are tied together during cutting operations. The feed shaft I3 actuates the turret slide I4 and the cross-slide I5 in a manner to be herein later explained and the indexing of the turret I 6 may or may not be accomplished by the movement of the feed-shaft I3.

Reference ma be made here to U. S. Patent 1,881,928 for one form of headstock, of spindle drive mechanism, or feedshaft drive from the spindle and means for indexing the turret from the feed shaft as well as for the dog drum controlling means and the mechanism for accomplishing fast idle movements of the turret and cross slide, all of which may be employed in con-. nection with the instrumentalities shown in Figure 1 of this application and considered as part thereof for purposes of completing the description of the machine-tool. In said above mentioned patent, the feed shaft 43 corresponds with the main feed shaft I3 herein which enters the timing box T arranged on the rear of the machine base III (as shown'in Figure 1) directly below the turret slide I4, the same as indicated in said patent.

The turret-slide cam drum I1 is joumaled on shaft I8 within the base III of the machine at the end opposite the head stock and disposed below the turret-slide I4. This cam drum is rotated from the feed shaft I3 through a bevelled pinion I3 meshing with a complemental bevelled pinion 20 carried at one end of a shaft 2I extending diagonally and downwardly, as shown in Figure 10. Keyed on this shaft 2I is a worm 22 meshing with worm wheel 23 on the turret slide drum II. The cam drum II carries a cam path 24 in which a cam roll 25 extends from the under side of the turret slide I4. Thus, the turret slide I4 is reciprocated to and fro, on the ways 26 on the bed of the machine, toward and away from the work piece in the chuck I2, there being one such reciprocation for each face on the turret I8 to provide one cycle of the machine and, further, it being understood that the turret I6 is indexed one face at the end of each' reciprocation. The cross slide I5 is substantially the same as that shown in the above mentioned Patent 1,881,928, is mounted on a base 21 (see Figure 2) and is reciprocated by a cam drum 28, which makes one revolution for each cycle of the machine. This cross-slide cam drum 28, with its associated parts, is mounted outside of and at the rear of the machine base I0 and is substantially the same as that shown in Patent 1,881,928 and operates in the same manner.

Now having described at least one type of machine with which the present improvement is designed to operate, the timing box will be described in relation to said machine and its functions.

The cross slide cam drum 28 is driven from main feed shaft I3 intermittently so that the cross slide may be brought into operation to move the tools on the ends thereof into and out of cutting relation with the work in the chuck I2 in conjunction with the movements of the turret slide I4 or in any sequence with respect to the tools on any face of the turret I6 for purposes well understood by those skilled in theiart.

full reciprocating movements, one to bring its front tools up and return the same; another to bring up and return its rear tools; and the third for actuating auxiliary or "slide-tools" (not shown). Therefore the cam-drum 23 is divided into three sections (preferabl equal) to accomplish the three last mentioned operations within one cycle of the machine.

The timing box T comprises a cast housing 33 equipped with suitable bearings and bearing supports for the various shafts and other parts described. As previously stated, the main feed shaft I3. has one end extending from the headstock into the housing 30 and through the bevel pinion I9, as shown in Figure 3, and terminates in a slidable sleeve bearing M on one side wall of the housing 30. The bevel pinion I3 is keyed to the shaft I3, as at 32, and said pinion is Journaled in a bearing bushing 33. The gear 23 is loose on the shaft. I3 and positioned between the rear end of the bevelled pinion II and the slidable bearing 3I, there being a series of interengaging teeth 34 on the end of the pinion II and on the hub portion of the gear 28 which establish a positive driving connection between the latter when the slidable bearing II is moved tightly against the gear 29 by the nut II on the outer extremity of the drive shaft I3, thus locking the gear 29 with the feed shaft I3. A helical compression spring 36 is disposed in a suitable recess in the rear end of the pinion I! so as to bear against the gear 23 and a shoulder I3a on'the main feed shaft I3 and to separate the interengaging teeth 34, when the nut II is loosened, in order to permit positional adjustment between the shaft I3 and the gear 23, the nut being retightened after such adjustment to positively lock the gear 23 to the shaft II.

The gear 29 meshes with a gear 31 loosely mounted on a longitudinally slidable shaft 3| but does not shift with said shaft as its hub is held fixedly in the housing against endwise sliding movement by a retainer ring 33. The gear 31 is provided with a clutch face to be meshed and unmeshed with the clutch face of a gear 40 movable with the sliding shaft 38 but loosely rotatable thereon, the clutch face of gear 31 preferably having only two diametrically aligned teeth 31a corresponding to the two diametrically aligned slots 40a in gear 40. The slidable or shiftable gear 40 has a slidable mesh with an intermediate gear'4I, freely rotatable on a counter shaft 42 and gear 4I meshes with gear 43 keyed on the cross-slide feed shaft 44. The

shaft 44 extends from the time-boxTtothe crossslide cam drum 28, as particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and has a worm 45 keyed thereto which meshes with a worm gear 45 fastened to one side face of the cross-slide cam drum 28, and by which the latter is actuated. The cross-slide cam drum is mounted on a shaft 23a journaled in housing 28b secured to the rear side. of the machine base I0.

As has been beforestated, the shiftable gear 40 may have its clutch face 40a meshed with or unmeshed from the clutch face 31a of gear 31, ,according to the direction the shiftable shaft 3| This is accomplished by gear 23, fast on themain feed shaft I3 andfrom which gear the timing box mechanism T and the'crosseslide I5 is actuated. Usually, except in a few special machines, it is only required that the cross-slide make three is moved for imparting motion to the cross-slide cam drum or for stopping it. Consequently, the cros's slide cam drum 28 can be stopped, when it is not desired to operate the cross-slide, thus making it possible to use a much smaller cam drum 28 for a given cam angle or travel of the cross-slide I5 as can be readily appreciated.

The shifting of the shaft 33 to move the gear aarassv 88, for driving or stopping the cross-slide cam drum 28, is accomplished automatically and by a timing mechanism that retains the synchronism of the co-related parts of the machine. This timing mechanism comprises a timing member or drum 4'8 having on its periphery a plurality of selectable or adjustable elements 48 thereon which successively shift a block 89 removably pinned, as at 89c, on the shiftable shaft 38 and held in position, as well as being guided in its movement, by a stationary guide rod 58 extendin substantially parallel with the shiftable rod 38 and projecting through a guide opening or bifurcation 52 in said block. More specifically, the

block 49 has an arcuate surface (Figs. 6 to 9) adjacent and opposing the periphery of the timing drum 81, which surface is provided with a track or cam-path 58 positioned to successively receive or cooperate with the studs 48 which may be re- 1 movably carried on the timing drum 4? and spaced about its axis in numbers corresponding to the faces on the turret. The cam path 50 in the block 49 is patterned so that as one of the studs 48 is initially moved into the path, while the clutch 'faces 37a and 40a are disengaged as shown, the shaft 38 is moved to the left, in Figure 3 of the drawings, bringing the clutch face 88a into engagement with the clutch face 31a thereby imparting motion to the cross-slide cam drum 28 from the main feed shaft 43, gears 29, 31, 48, 4!, 43 and cross-slide feed shaft 44 and that, as the timing drum 41 moves the stud 48 out of the cam path 50, the shiftable shaft 38 is positively moved to the right, Figure 3 of the drawings, disengaging the clutch faces 31a and 6801.

The timing studs 48 are preferably bolt-like members each having, a rotatable roller 48a on the headed end thereof, which roller projects from the periphery of the timing drum 4! and enters the cam path 50 of the shifting block 49, while the shank portion of said stud is sized to extend through an opening 4': and is threaded to receive a nut 48b which holds the stud in position in said openings 41a. Access may be had to the timing drum for insertion of the studs therein or their removal therefrom through a suitable covered opening in the casing 88a.

The rotational movement of the timing drum 4'! is intermittent and receives its motion from the gear 53 loosely iournalled on the shaft 53a and meshing with the gear I! constantly driven by the gear 28 on the main feed shaft l8, when the latter is in motion. The gear 53 has a pin 54 projecting from one side thereof which engages in a Geneva plate 55 having four slots and carried on one end of a shaft 58 iournalled'in the housing 30, said shaftalso having fast thereon two spaced discs 51 which receive therebetween a toothed timing wheel 58 fast to and concentric with the timing drum 41. One or more pins 59 extends between and is secured to the discs 51 to mesh with the teeth of the wheel 58 and, in effect, provides a mutilated gear.

' Since the machine tool runs on the cycle principle-that is to say, all o'peraitons are kept within one cycle of the dog drum (not shown but disclosed at I21 in Figs. 2, 7, and 8 of United States Patent No. 1,881,928) which is positively driven from th main feed shaft l3, during all automatic operations of the machine or when the machine is hand cranked for setting up the timing of all cooperating parts of the machine will be maintained and all operations of the machine will take place within a certain number or revolutions of the feed shaft.

Now, assuming that 120 revolutions of the main feed shaft l 3 produces one cycle of the machine for a five iace turret, including five complete to and fro movements of the turret-slide and three to and fro movements of the crossslide; that proper gear ratios have been provided in the train between main feed shaft i8 and timing drum 8? as well as between the main feed shaft i8 and the cross-slide feed shaft 8% as will revolve the timing drum 47 and cross-slide cam drum 28 one revolution for each cycle of the machine, then the following is one specific ex= ample of the gearing that may be employed in the timing box '1: 8

Gear 29 (having 20 teeth) rotates gear 8? (having 24 teeth) revolutions for each revolu= tions of main feed shaft 68. For each 100 revolutions of gear 31 it rotates gear 58 (having 48 teeth) 50 revolutions and, by reason of the four slots in the Geneva plate 55, the Geneva shaft 58 is rotated 12 revolutions. In order to have the toothed-wheel 58 of convenient size, it is provided with 25 teeth and, therefore, requires, with the ratios above given, that two cross-pins 58 (:r and y) diametrically spaced between the discs 51 to rotate the toothed wheel 58, and, as a consequence, the timing drum 4! to which it is attached, one revolution for each 12 revolutions of the Geneva shaft-56 or for each 120 revolutions of the'main feed shaft II or for each cycle of the machine. a

Now, with respect to the cross-slide cam drum 28, this drum is geared to the cross-slide feed shaft 44 so that the drum 28 makes one revolution for each cyclilof the machine and for each 30 revolutions of t e shaft 44. As above stated, the standard cross-slide cam drum has its circumference divided into three equal sections for cam application and, consequently, ten revolutions of the shaft 44 is required to revolve the cross-slide cam drum 28 one-third of a revolution. The shiftable clutch gear 4| has 20 teeth and the gear 48 has 16 teeth-therefore, eight revolutions of gear 48 will rotate shaft 44 ten revolutions necessary for each of the three described cam operations of the cam drum l8, dur-' ing one cycle of the machine.

Thus, with the gear 81 making 100 revolutions per cycle for a five face turret machine, it revolves 20 revolutions for each face and the clutch 31c40a is engaged at three different times to effeet a complete revolution of the cross-slide cam drum 28. The clutch remains engaged" during each engagement for eight of said twenty revolutions made by the gear 3'I for any selected three of said faces of the turret.

To provide for the operation of the cross-slide |5 in conjunction with any one of the faces of the turret IS, the time drum or member 41 must have as many openings 41a therein suitably positioned and equally spaced about the periphery. of said drum as there are turret faces so that the studs 48 maybe inserted in the selected openthe art that by the removal of a stud 48 from any one of the openings 41a the cross slide will re-' main. idle when the corresponding turret face is brought into position on the turret-slide l4 for a cutting operation and, conversely, by insertin a stud into any one of the openings 41a of the V timing drum 41, the cross-slide I! may, be actuated in conjunction with any selected turret faces of the turret. But in the example given above, only three studs 45 will be employed in order to eflect the three operations of the cross-slide cam drum 28 for each cycle of the machine. Of course, in special cases the cross-slides and hence its actuating cam drum 28 may be operated more or less than three times per cycle of the machine; and the present invention permits of this when the gear ratiosin the timing box '1' have been changed accordingly, together with a corresponding change in cam drum 2! and cam path fl on the block 49.

It will be appreciated that other gear ratios may be employed as may be found necessary or desirableor to meet requirements brought about by employing more or less numbers of revolutions of the'main feed shaft I! or of the cross-slide feed shaft 44, or the number of camming operations of the cam drum 28 for one cycle of the machine. It may be suggested here that for a six face turret 144 revolutions of the shaft I 3 ma be successfully employed together with thirty teeth on timing wheel 58, the number of crosspins 58 varying as the ratio requires.

The cam path 50 in shifting block 45 has one land a and two rises b and 0, respectively, at opposite ends of the land it. According to the direction of rotation of the timing drum 41, a stud 4| enters the outer open end of either'rise b or c and moves the block 49 to the left in Figure 3 (or to the right as shown in Figure 5) carryin with it the shiftable shaft 35 and gear 44 and bring the clutch face 45a of the latter into engagement with the clutch face 510 of gear 31, thus driving the cross-slide feed shaft 44. Each of these rises are so inclined and positioned that a stud 45 traverses along one of them, to first engage clutch members 31a and 40a when the toothed wheel 55 is indexed and, as the actuation of the toothed wheel 55 (from gear 31) is intermittent, the rise takes place in a very small arc of rotation of wheel 55. Now after further indexing, the stud 45 has arrived at the land a or in proper relation thereto, bringing the clutch faces 31a and 40a in engagement for the required time period that the cross-slide I5 is to operate; then, after such period of time or revolutions of the main feed shaft I5, the stud 4| enters and moves out of the other rise when the toothedwheel 55 is indexed, shifting the block 45 back to the position shown in Figures 3 and 5 and disengaging the clutch faces lIa-and 40a, hence stopping the cross-slide feed shaft 44.

In order to give a clear understanding of the operation of the studs 4| in the cam-path 50 of the shifting block with the movement of the Geneva 53, the timing wheel 58 with 25 teeth, and the two Geneva-shaft pins 55 (a: and 1,1) which move the timing wheel 55, these parts are diagrammatically shown in Figs. 11 to 15, inclusive, as well as certain of the positions they assume to effect one engagement and disengagement of the clutch Ila-45a, a plan of the cam path 50 being shown in Figure 16. Referring to Figure 11, the relation of the parts shown is that at the beginning of a timing cam operation, whereupon the termination of the last movement of the Geneva-shaft 55 caused by the Genevaindex pin 54, has moved the Geneva-shaft pin y into position between teeth I and II of wheel 58 and the cam-roll 45a has been previously brought to position Pl in Figure 16 where it enters into (or partially at least) the rise portion 1) of the cam-path ll.

, amass? Figure 12 shows these parts after the Geneva index pin 54 has made one complete revolution from its position shown in Figure 11 and has caused the Geneva-plate 53 and Geneva-shaft pins :1: and 11 to be indexed A revolution and move timing wheel 58 one tooth, thus moving camroli 45a to position P2 in Figure 16.

Figure 13 shows these parts after the Genevaindex pin' 54 has next made three additional compiete revolutions and has caused the following movements:

Upon the first of said three additional revolutions of the indexing pin 54, the Geneva plate 53 and Geneva-shaft pins :1: and u were indexed A revolution from their positions shown in Figure 12 which movement did not move timing wheel (or move cam-roll 48a) but brought pin a: up against the tooth II of the timing wheel 58; and upon the second revolution of the pin 54, the Geneva plate 53 and pins 2: and y were indexed another Vi revolution, which moved timing wheel 58 one tooth and moved cam-roll 48a to position Pl into the land a of cam-path 50, as shown in Figure 16; and upon the third revolution of pin 54, the Geneva-plate 53 and pins :1: and 11 were moved to position shown in Figure 13 without moving timing wheel (or move cam-roll 48a) but brought pin 1! up against tooth III of the timing wheel 58. At this point the Geneva plate 53 has made one complete revolution and the Geneva indexing pin 54 has made four revolutions, thus the Geneva shaft pins :1: and 11 and the Geneva indexing pin 54 are in the same positions as they were in Figure 11.

In Figure 14, the Geneva indexing pin 54 has made another complete revolution from its position shown in Figure 13 and has caused Geneva plate 53 and Geneva-shaft pin 11 to be moved /4 revolution, which latter, in turn, has moved timing wheel (through tooth HI) one tooth which has moved cam-roll 48a to position P4 in Figure 16.

Figure 15 shows the position of the parts after the Geneva-indexing pin 54 has next made three additional complete revolutions from the position of the parts shown in Figure 14 and has caused the following movements:

Upon the first of said three additional revolutions of the pin 54, the Geneva-plate and the Geneva-shaft pins 2: and 1! were indexed /4 revolution from their position shown in Figure 14, which movement did not move the timing wheel 58 (or I move time cam-roll 48a) but brought pinv a: up

against the tooth IV of the timing wheel; and upon completion of the; second revolution of the pin 54 the Geneva plate 53 and the Genevashaft pins :2: and 1! were'gindexed'another /4 revolution which moving the timing wheel 58 one Y timing wheel 58 so that upon the next /4 revolution imparted to' the Geneva-plate 53, by the Geneva-indexing pin 54, will index said timing wheel one tooth and, as a consequence, move the cam-roll 48a to the position P5 as shown in Fi ure 16. Thus, as the operation of the Genevaplate continues in the manner above set forth the cam-roll 480 will be moved free of the cam-path 50 and another cam-roll 480 will be brought into 7 2,377,337 1 a P ti n, as shown in Figure 11, after a laps of the required number of revolutions of the Genevashaft according to the gear ratios employed.

In Figure 16 the dot and dash line z-'-z indicates the'critical line in the cam-path 50 when the clutch 3l'a--dila is engaged and disengaged.

When the axis of the cam-roll 4811 is below the.

line 2-2 in Figure 16, the clutch is disengaged and when above the line z-z theclutch is engaged. Of course, the above showing is only an example as the engineeringand dimensions of the parts will dictate the required changes to those skilled in the art.

As the shifting of the clutch-faced gear it is accomplished directly from the rotational movement of the other clutch-faced gear 37, and in a slow angle of rotation of the same, it follows that the clutch face dfia of gear 40 will always mesh with the clutch face tic of gear 317 in exactly the same relative position and will always return to its neutral disengaged position at exactly the same place in its rotation. The rotation of gear at is stopped as soon as the clutch faces disengage and is located, while in neutral, by locking pin 60, stationarily mounted on housing 30, engaging in slot 6! in the hub ofthe gear 40.

machine, he is greatly benefited as he 1 will be able to completely change the relationship of the cross-slide to the turret slide operational; any time during the life of the machine by simply inserting the studs 48 into the proper holes 477a in the timing drum 4'! and in addition may replace the turret of his machine with another turret having more or less facesprovided, corresponding stools parts 41, 49, 58, 57 and 59 are inserted into the timing unit. Thus, the range of utility of a turret lathe of a given model can be increased many-fold by its user for different jobs through simple adjustments or exchange ofstock, parts without requiring special factory-made parts (such as specially milled cams) or factory rebuilding, which heretofore, at best, changed the machine to onlyanother fixed. series of opera tions.

Having fully described the present invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to'the specific construction of the means shown and described as the same may be varied or modified in numerous ways which Thus, the position of the cams on the cross-slide 3 drum 28 are always in a definite relation to the cam 24 on the turret cam drum ll. Should it .be desired to change the relationship, sayfor instance-in order to bring the cross-slide feed in action at a different stage of theturret-slide feed, the machine is cranked by hand, as above mentioned, until the cross-slide is in a pre-determined position; nut is then slackened sufiiciently to allow spring 36 to disengage interlocking teeth 34; the machine is then hand-cranked until the turret is brought into the desired proper relative position; and the nut 35 is then tightened to draw the interengaging teeth 34 in firm gripping contact, thereby reestablishing the drive from the main feed shaft l3 to the cross-slide feed shaft 44.

In order to prevent any accidental shifting of the shaft 38, which would bring the clutch faces Na and 40a into engagement, the timing drum or member 41 is provided at one peripheral edge with a series of openings 41b into which are insorted and secured stop-pins 62 which will engage and slide along the edge 63 of the shifting block 49, when there is no shifting stud 48 within the cam path 50 thereof. These stop pins 62 are spaced so that one will come into contact or opposite the block 49 as the preceding one or a shifting stud 48 moves out of contact or opposing position therewith, or conversely, as shown particularly in Fi ures 6, 7, 8 and 9.

With the above improved construction of the timing box for automatic lathes, as above described, both the manufacturer of the machine. as well as the user of it, is greatly benefited. For

instance, with respect to the manufacturer, if he has an order for a certain model machine whose specifications call for a four, five or six faced turret, even though the number of cross-slide operations vary and their relation to the various turret faces are to be changed-all that he need dois to select the standard parts .(block 49 and tim-, ing drum 41 with its proper timing wheel or gear 58 and parts 51 and 59) from stock for the numfall within the scope of the appended claims,

That which is claimed is: 1. In a machine tool, wherein thereis a feed shaft, a tool carrier movable to. and fro, a cam for actuating said carrier geared to said feed shaft for synchronizing the rotation of said shaft and cam, a second tool carrier movable to and fro,

a second shaft for actuating said second carrier,

a gear connection Between said feed shaft and said second shaft which includes a clutch and clutch shifting means to operatively connect and disconnect said clutch, and a timing mechanism geared to said feed shaft and synchronizedwith the movement of the latter, the improvement comprising said timing mechanism including a patterned part on said clutch shifting means changeable with similar, but differently patterned, parts and a changeable member driven from said feed shaft, said changeable member having manually adjustable elements each selectively positioned thereon for successively contacting and cooperating with said patterned part to actuate said clutch shifting means to alternately engage and disengage said clutch, during a cycle of the machine.

' 2. A timing unit for the movement of the crossslldes relative to the movement of the turretslide in automatic turret lathes and which includes a shaft for feeding the turret-slide and a selectively arranged on said timing member and movable Ltherewith-to successively engage with her of faces of the turret to be employed on the the machine. With respect to the user ofthe special parts to accomplish any sp cial set-up for I the cam surface on said shiftable part, and a gear means driven by said turret-slide feed shaftand operativelyconnected with said movable timing member and actuating the latter.

' 3. A unit for timing the movement of the cross- -slide relative to the movement of the turret-slide in automatic turret lathes, said unit comprising positively connectible transmission members and rotatable clutch members for connecting and disconnecting said transmission members, one of which being shiftable, ameans for shifting said shittable clutch member, and a mechanism for actuating said shitting means that includes one of said transmission members which actuates a timing member having selectable striking elements thereon engageable with said shifting means for causing the latter to move said shiftable clutch member to clutching and unclutcliing positions, stop means which will prevent the clutch members irom engaging when said striking elements are out of engagement. with said clutch shifting means, I

4. A unit for timing the movement or the cross- 5. A unit for timing the movement or the crossslide relative to the movement or the turret-slide in automatic turret lathes, said unit comprising positively connectible transmission members and rotatable clutch members for connecting and disconnecting said transmission members, one 0! which being axially shiitable relative to the other into and out 01' clutching engagement, means for shifting said shiitable clutch member and which includes a shiftable part having a cam surface thereon and connected with said shiitable clutch slide relative to the movement 01' the turret-slide in automatic turret lathes, said unit comprising at least two rotatable transmission members each having aligned rotatably co-acting clutch members thereon, one of said clutch members being shii'table, means for shifting said shiitableclutch member including a rotatable drum having movable elements selectively placed on and removable from said rotatable drum; said elements carried by said rotatable drum each being positioned to successively engage and actuate said clutch shifting means to move said shiitable clutch member into and out of clutching engagement, with its c'o-acting clutch member, and a. synchronized intermittently acting drive connection between said so drum and said driving shaft.

member, and a mechanism for actuating said cam part and which includes a rotatable drum having manually mountable studs selectively dispom on said drum to engage said camto alternately engage and disengage said clutch members and which, further, includes an intermittently acting drive connection from one 01 said transmission members to said drum, whereby the rotation 01' said drum is synchronized with its said driving transmission member, and adjustable stop means on said timing drum which will limit the movement of said shiitable part, when said studs are out of engagement with said cam surface, where by the clutch members cannot be engaged.

. 6. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said stop means comprises means selectively applicable to and removable from said timing member.

ALFRED JOSEPH FULLER. 

